Iris strike hands Wolves win
Wolves 1 St George’s 0Wolves picked up three more vital early season points after Morricko Iris’ first half goal gave them their second win of the season at Devonshire Rec.The loss leaves St. George’s anchored in the bottom two in the standings and it wasn’t until the second half upon Allan Douglas’ entry as a substitute that they began to impose themselves on Wolves. Twice St. George’s had the ball in the net in the second half but the efforts were ruled for offside in the first instance and then for a foul on the goalkeeper Jahhi Shakir.In the absence of Jahron Dickinson, and with Douglas sitting on the bench, St. George’s relied heavily on Mackie Crane up front who drove a free kick over the bar before Antoine Brangman of Wolves went close when he tried to chip the ball over the keeper Zeko Burgess. Derrick Brangman wasted a good chance for Wolves with a header straight at Burgess after a perfect cross from deep on the right by Mike Williams found him at the far post.Wolves were creating the best chances and should have taken the lead when Torry Davis chipped into the box but Vince Minors wasted the chance with a poor first touch. The veteran player did make amends a minute later, though, when he lobbed a cross to the far post and Iris kept his composure to side foot past Burgess at the far post.Wolves kept searching for the second goal and were denied by a good save by Burgess to a Vince Minors shot two minutes into the second half. Then Minors almost found the net with a low drive from a free kick on the right side of the penalty box after Brangman was fouled. Minors’ effort beat Burgess but hit the base of the far post.It was still virtually all Wolves at this point but the introduction of Douglas in the 53rd minute immediately injected new life into St. George’s as his pace and aggression caused problems for the Wolves defence.St. George’s had their first effort ruled out in the 61st minute when, from a free kick by Mishael Paynter on the left, Crane ran through to sidefoot the ball over the line but the linesman’s flag was already raised for offside. Shakir misjudged the high ball into the box and from another freekick, this one from Crane, he did the same as St. George’s scrambled home what they thought was an equaliser through substitute Wesley Stovell. This time referee Kuhn Evans blew for a foul on the goalkeeper.Wolves still threatened on the break as St. George’s kept pushing forward, but not even ten minutes of injury time could help them find the equaliser. St. George’s fullback Jordan Darrell was booked in the 73rd minute for diving in an attempt to win a penalty.Wolves: J Shakir, A Brangman, J Peniston, D Simons, M Williams, T Davis, K Brangman (K Smith 77minutes), S Richardson (A Zuill 65 minutes), M Iris, V Minors, D Brangman (D Simmons 77 minutes)Substitutes not used: M Astwood, L.Evans, S DeShieldsYellow cards: A Brangman, A Zuill, D SimmonsGoal: M Iris 30 minutesSt George’s: Z Burgess, J Darrell, M Paynter, D Signor, M Tucker (E Signor 64 minutes), J Simmons, J Bassett, A Heyliger, C Ottley (A Douglas 53 minutes), K Wilson (W Stovell 71 minutes), M CraneSubstitutes not used: C Marshall, T OttleyYellow card: J DarrellReferee: K EvansMan of the match: Mike Williams (Wolves)